Return of the Gladiators

The new speedway season starts in Plymouth on Saturday 19th April when the Plymouth Gladiators take on Oxford.

NEW TO SPEEDWAY? There are 15 heats of four riders, two from each team. It’s pretty frantic as speedway bikes can reach 80mph, have just one fixed gear and no brakes. To stop quickly, the rider has to lay the bike down.

Watch a taster (video) here. 

HISTORY: Plymouth Gladiators was founded in 1932 but closed in 1969. It was 36 years before it was resurrected in 2006.

Gates open 5.45pm, parade at 6.45pm, first race at 7pm. Tickets from £18 adult, £10 (U17), U10 free. Plymouth Coliseum, Coypool Road, Plymouth.

The music of heroes and superheroes

Close your eyes and listen to the best symphonic film scores of all time.

The Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra playing in Exeter Great Cathedral promises 15 classic hero and superhero movie themes including Marvel and DC comic characters.

Scores include award-winning themes by John Williams and James Horner, including Saving Private Ryan, Apollo 13, Superman, Batman and the X-Men.

PLUS: Bernstein, The Magnificent Seven | Barry, Dances With Wolves: | Williams, Hook: The Flight To Neverland | Jarre, Lawrence Of Arabia | Zimmer, The Dark Knight/Batman Begins, and more.

7.30pm. Thursday 13th March. Exeter University Great Hall, Exeter. Tickets: £16-£41.

Coleton Fishacre free monthly guided walks

Join a volunteer walking team on a free guided walk every month near Dartmouth.

February's walk (tomorrow, Friday 7th) is a circular 3km route from Coleton Camp Car park across farmland and onto the South West Coast Path taking in views of the sea and coastline.

If you can’t make this one there are other options this year, all starting near the National Trust property at Coleton Fishacre, and all from 10.30am to 12.30pm.

OTHER DATES: Friday 7th March, Friday 4th April, Friday 2nd May, Friday 6th June and the first Friday in subsequent months.

Children welcome accompanied by an adult. Bring waterproofs and wear appropriate clothing and footwear.

Classic Beethoven, Gershwin and Mahler

See and hear North Devon’s own symphony orchestra play two of the most instantly recognisable great works: Beethoven’s 5th symphony and Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue.

The bonus from the North Devon Sinfonia is Mahler’s symphonic poem Totenfeier (Funeral Rites), an exploration of life and death. Listen here.

Queens Theatre, Barnstaple. 7.30pm, Saturday 8th March Tickets: from £14.50.

Find that rare gem you’ve been searching for

Up to 7,000 visitors are expected over the 2 days of the Rock, Gem and Bead Show in Newton Abbot on Saturday 8th and Sunday 9th March.

The show brings together buyers and sellers of crystals, beads, jewellery, minerals, fossils and lapidary, and caters for retail and wholesale customers.

Speak to knowledgeable stone sellers, and maybe discover that rare, unusual or meaningful gem.

10am. Newton Abbot Racecourse TQ12 3AF. Adults £3, over 67s £2, accompanied U16 free.

CAN’T MAKE IT? The show returns to Devon twice in 2025, at the Westpoint Arena on Saturday 31st May and Saturday 15th November.

🚀 Advertise your Devon brand

Boost your business by reaching an engaged, fast-growing audience of Devon leisure and events lovers. Opportunities coming soon. See the features list.

Devon Curiosities #44: Heddon’s Mouth

A magical beach emerges at the foot of a steep-sided valley among some of England’s highest cliffs.

GENTLE WALK: The 2.3 mile walk to Heddon's Mouth is easy, with a mainly level path through woodland along the Heddon Valley, where you just might see otters and rare high brown fritillary butterflies.

Watch a video of the walk here.

There’s a restored lime kiln on the beach and the “Swiss style” Hunters Inn for refreshments on your return at the end of the walk.

DIRECTIONS: Halfway along the A39 between Combe Martin and Lynmouth turn off for Hunter's Inn. EX31 4PY. More details.

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WHAT ELSE IS ON?

🌊 North Devon 

FEBRUARY

Fri 14th

SNOWDROPS | ❄️ National collection of 400 varieties | 2pm to 5pm Higher Cherubeer, near Winkleigh | Also on Sun 23rd. £6

WORKSHOP | 🐦 Willow Bird Feeder Workshop | Quince Honey Farm, South Molton | Tickets £42

Fri 21st

COMEDY | 😆 Comedy Club | Cedars Inn, Barnstaple | Tickets £16.50

Sat 22nd

ART WORKSHOP | ✏️ Drawing from the Subconscious | Burton at Bideford Art Gallery and Museum, Bideford | Tickets £92.80

Sat 22nd to Sun 23rd

CYCLE RACE | 🚴‍♂️ Devon Coast to Coast | Foreland Point, Lynmouth to Prawle Point | Entry £75

Wed 26th

COMEDY | 🎙️ Ed Byrne: Tragedy Plus Time | Queens Theatre, Barnstaple | Tickets from £36.50

See 28 more North Devon events

🐬 South Devon

FEBRUARY

Daily until Sun 23rd

PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION | 🖼️ Dartmoor: A Radical Landscape | Royal Albert Memorial Museum and Art Gallery, Exeter | Adult tickets £6, U19s free

Daily until Mon 24th

ART EXHIBITION | 🖼️ A celebration of original prints from Tamar Print Workshop | Ocean Studios Factory Cooperage, Plymouth | Free entry

Sat 15th

NATURE SURVEY | 🐭 Harvest Mouse Project | Mutters Moor, Sidmouth

Sun 16th

GAMING FESTIVAL | 📕 Torbay Comic Con and Gaming Festival | Riviera International Centre, Torbay | Adult tickets £12.19, U14s £8.50

POP MUSIC | 🎙️Jason Donovan, Doin’ Fine 25 | Princess Theatre, Torquay | Tickets from £33.75

Thu 20th

COOKING WORKSHOP | 🥬 Introduction to Fermentation taster evening | Elephant on the Green, Crediton | Tickets £52.17

Fri 21st

TREE PLANTING | 🌳 Tree Planting with Devon Wildlife Trust | Fishchowter’s Lane, Totnes | Free

TRIBUTE ACT | 🎤 Viva Morrissey | Steel Brew, Royal William Yard, Plymouth | Tickets £15

See 41 more South Devon events 

🏆️ Get lucky! Win Devon leisure prizes

FEATURED: 🐴 Free admission and a table for 10 worth £1,650 at Exeter Racecourse’s Construction Raceday on Friday 7th March (2nd Mar)

♨️ A 7-night stay at a Cofton Holidays lodge with hot tub in South Devon (Tomorrow, 7th Feb)

NEW!  🫧 A “bubbles and bliss” spa package for 2 worth £270 including a 50-minute treatment and afternoon tea at Exeter’s Hotel Indigo. (16th Feb)

💤 Bedtime pampering treats and a wool duvet, worth more than £300 (16th Feb)

NEW!  👩‍🎤 2 tickets to an Adele tribute concert at Exmouth Pavilion (18th Feb)

NEW!  ⛱️ An English Riviera caravan holiday worth £600 (28th Feb)

NEW!  ⭐️ A night away for 2 at Exeter's brand new 4-star hotel (28th Feb)

NEW!  🍖 Sunday lunch for 4 at The Bucket & Spade Cafe, Shaldon. EX or TQ postcodes only (28th Feb)

NEW!  🏨 A 1-night bed and breakfast break for 2 at Future Inn, Plymouth (28th Feb)

🍾 A 1-night stay with dinner for two, plus Prosecco on arrival, at one of the oldest pubs in South Hams (28th Feb)

⛵️ 3 nights away for 2 people in Sidmouth and Salcombe with breakfasts and 1 dinner plus £1,000 spending money (28th Feb)

NEW!  🎫 1 of 4 family tickets to Diggerland (4th Mar)

NEW!  ♨️ A private 55-minute sauna session for 1 in Totnes worth £99 (5th Mar)

👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 A family ticket to drive diggers and dump trucks at Diggerland (23rd Mar)

🥧 £150 of your choice of Devon-made pies, pasties and sausage rolls delivered to your door (30th Mar)

NEW!  😜 2 weekend family tickets to the Gone Wild Festival, Exeter worth £1,200 (29th May)

New member? Catch up here

🏍️ Behold, the classics of the road

🥳 For those who like to book early 2025 (2)

🌷 The Valley of a Million Bulbs

🏴‍☠️ For those who like to book early 2025

That’s all for this week.

Thanks for being a member.

With Devon love,

Andy, Esme, Lara and the Go Devon! team